Is this a suitable battery upgrade for overland use?

[Animal Mother]

This is for my 120 D4d.

This will be for trips of up to 2 weeks. I can't see me spending more than 2 or 3 days camping in a row, running a medium size Snomaster fridge and the usual LED lights, etc.

I can fit 325mm batteries under my bonnet and I'll be using the T-Max split charge system. Fridge has battery monitors too.

This is the battery: https://advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk/product/numax-cxv30-hmf/

There's also the other orientation of terminals available too, so I can have a matched pair: https://advancedbatterysupplies.co.uk/product/numax-cxv30-hrmf/

They are 105 Ah
800 CCA
500 cycles

Suitable for my use? Is the 500 cycles something to be concerned with?

 

[grantw]

This is for my 120 D4d.

This will be for trips of up to 2 weeks. I can't see me spending more than 2 or 3 days camping in a row, running a medium size Snomaster fridge and the usual LED lights, etc.

Starting with a fully charged battery, with just running the fridge and guesstimating it will take around 20 amp hours (AH) per day over 3 days you would really be stretching that batteries use and shortening it's life (the up to 500 cycles.) With just using your alternator to charge this battery you probably aren't going to get this battery fully charged at all - probably only to 80% capacity.

In short, it may do but I don't think it's life will be very long. Having something like a ctek dc-dc charger would improve things quite a bit but you may still be pushing it for 3 days use. After being flattened to below half capacity even with the dc-dc charger you would need a decent 3 hour plus (probably longer) drive to get it fully charged again.

 

[MarkW]

I've been using a Numax CXV27 , no spilt charge and no DC-DC charger. I get about 2 days parked up with ambient 30degrees temps running the fridge. I'll admit it gets heavily abused with my set up but it lasted 4.5 years. I'd have to be getting over 10 years use out of a single battery to break even with the cost of a ctek charger

 

[Trevor]

I’ve put a euroline 135Ah calcium battery into a 120 before with the same split charger. The cranking battery was upgraded for starting (will check when I get home tomorrow) but this was happily running a big National Lunar fridge in the back.

 

[Animal Mother]

It'll be two batteries I'll be running just to be clear.

 

[David]

I have that battery as my starter been good so far

 

[nick_the_fish]

As long as you follow all the basic rules of efficient fridge usage than I think you'll be fine. Fridges don't actually use that much power nor do LED's. I had a 110ah in mine but also had inverter/ water pump/ usb chargers etc and managed to camp happily for a few days without running the engine.

 

[Chris]

Personally, battery choice aside, I wouldn't use a National Luna split charge. I know that people will say Oh I've had one for 30 years and never seen an issue, but I had one for 30 days and it died. I know I'm not the only person to have issues with one. Plus, you have to understand that it's works on a timer from starting the engine and NOT a voltage sensing basis. The timer is around 5 mins. Worth knowing if you think that you might just fire the engine for a couple of mins to bang a bit of charge into the battery - it won't. If you start the engine and then stop to use the keys to open something and then restart the engine the timer will be reset. Sure it has a nice light bar display thing but it's a lot of money for not much. It also has an internal fuse that can blow and changing it is like changing the battery in a Swiss watch. Not something you want to be doing under the bonnet at midnight with a torch held between your teeth.

I made my own out of something like this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/200-Amp-...e=STRK:MEBIDX:IT&_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649

to activate one of these

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/138068-1...018686&hash=item41a1e3c668:g:Ck0AAOSw-0xYbP7i

I wanted to keep the switching of the low current and high current separate. It means that if you have a problem, you only need to swap a couple of wires and you're back in business.

 

[nick_the_fish]

Sure it has a nice light bar display thing but it's a lot of money for not much

It does look nice........ but unfortunately it doesn't work. The supposed state of charge of the battery would change dramatically upon wiggling the input connection, causing one to wonder about the state of the battery and resulting in reaching for the multimeter......

In the end I removed mine and opted for a basic voltmeter from 12v planet which does a much better job.

Have to say tho I haven't had any problems with the intelligent solenoid yet and i've had it for 30 years... well 4....

 

[moggy1968]

If your going to be stationary for a few days how about a foldable solar panel to top things up?

 

[Animal Mother]

Personally, battery choice aside, I wouldn't use a National Luna split charge....

It does look nice........ but unfortunately it doesn't work....

I'm not using the National Luna. I've got the T-Max which, although it's not a "smart" system, it's supposed to be accurate.

 

[Chris]

I'm sorry I don't know how I read that as Nat Luna. But then if the T max is the same but cheaper.... If it's a timer, I'd still not fit it. If it the T max copy of the IBS then it's a better thing altogether.

 

[Trevor]

The T Max uses a split charge solenoid whereas the IBS uses a relay

 

[ByronJ]

I'm sorry I don't know how I read that as Nat Luna. But then if the T max is the same but cheaper.... If it's a timer, I'd still not fit it. If it the T max copy of the IBS then it's a better thing altogether.

The T-Max is a voltage sensing unit.

When the untit detects a voltage of 13.3v or more at either battery it connects them. When it detects a voltage of 12.8v or less at either battery it disconnects them.

Although it is not mentioned in the specifications the control unit waits 5 seconds between each connect / disconnect decision. This a good thing as when the auxiliary battery is very flat it can immediately pull the starter battery below 12.8v on connection and if the delay was not in place the solenoid could rapidly connect and disconnect the batteries, a problem known as 'chattering'. This unit is much better behaved than that

 

[Animal Mother]

The T-Max is a voltage sensing unit.

When the untit detects a voltage of 13.3v or more at either battery it connects them. When it detects a voltage of 12.8v or less at either battery it disconnects them.

Although it is not mentioned in the specifications the control unit waits 5 seconds between each connect / disconnect decision. This a good thing as when the auxiliary battery is very flat it can immediately pull the starter battery below 12.8v on connection and if the delay was not in place the solenoid could rapidly connect and disconnect the batteries, a problem known as 'chattering'. This unit is much better behaved than that

What is the best option then for the T-Max? Is it a cranking battery and a deep cycle? OR is it two dual use?

 

[ByronJ]

What is the best option then for the T-Max? Is it a cranking battery and a deep cycle? OR is it two dual use?

In this setup the alternator is adjusting its output voltage by sensing the voltage (and therefore charge state) of the start battery, or the resultant voltage of both batteries when they are linked via the solenoid. Thus there is only one charge profile (unlike DC-DC chargers which allow two charge profiles to be used).

Unless you add some more electronics to control the alternator it will normally be setup to charge at 14.4v. Which is good for standard flooded cell. You will get the best results if both batteries are using the same cell technology. In my daily drive setup I have a wet start battery and a wet deep cycle. I keep an eye on the electrolyte levels and all seems to be well so far. Although two dual use batteries would give you more flexibility should your start battery fail. This is the setup on my overland car.

Do not use AGM batteries (although they are excellent all rounders) without installing a way of increasing the charge voltage as they need to be charged at around 14.7v. If charged at 14.4 they will only achieve around half of their rated cycles.

 

[Animal Mother]

In my daily drive setup I have a wet start battery and a wet deep cycle. I keep an eye on the electrolyte levels and all seems to be well so far. Although two dual use batteries would give you more flexibility should your start battery fail. This is the setup on my overland car.

Thank you, that was very useful. Looks like I'm leaning toward a start and a deep cycle, both wet. Especially as the T-Max talks about using a dedicated start and auxiliary battery. I think I'll supplement with solar too.

What batteries are you running?

 

[ByronJ]

Thank you, that was very useful. Looks like I'm leaning toward a start and a deep cycle, both wet. Especially as the T-Max talks about using a dedicated start and auxiliary battery. I think I'll supplement with solar too.

What batteries are you running?

Enduroline Ca+. Bought from Tayna with a 4 year guarantee.

 

[alexander]

Can anyone supply a link for a circuit diagram that includes external power supplies from local mains, 120 & 220 VAC?